SHADOWS OF INFLUENCE

CHAPTER ONE

                     Chapter One

Kelvin awoke, feeling utterly fatigued and drained. The night before had been a torturous ordeal, marked by relentless anticipation as he waited for Maria's return, but she never came. Exhausted, he finally succumbed to sleep around 4 in the morning. Struggling to shake off the weariness, he dragged himself out of bed and descended the stairs to the kitchen, hoping that a simple bottle of water would help him regain some semblance of alertness.

As he made his way back to the living room, a curious sight met his eyes: an envelope sat conspicuously on the table. He found this rather unusual. Could it be that Maria had returned in the early hours without waking him? The clock on the wall indicated a time slightly past 8 a.m., and Kelvin knew from experience that even when she did decide to return home, Maria would typically slip out long before the rooster's crow. He couldn't resist his curiosity any longer, so he picked up the envelope, half-expecting what he would find inside, as he had been anticipating this moment for a while now.

Contemplating this turn of events led Kelvin down memory lane, causing him to reflect on how he ended up in this perplexing situation. His initial encounter with Maria had been etched into his memory. What had struck him most was her extraordinary beauty – Maria was undoubtedly a striking woman in every sense.

He reminisced about the day they first crossed paths. A recent transplant to the bustling city of New York, Kelvin was still acclimating to the city's frenetic rhythm. One late morning, the decision to visit a nearby café for a cup of coffee had seemed like a good idea. On that particular day, he had chosen a quiet corner seat to blend into the background, avoiding unnecessary attention. To his surprise, there was a new face serving customers, a face he hadn't seen in the café before – it was Maria.

Despite being a regular at the café for the past week, he had never laid eyes on her. He observed her with keen interest as she approached to take his order. Her pretty face had a magnetic quality, a kind of beauty that could have graced the cover of any magazine. As she jotted down his order in her notebook, Kelvin couldn't help but watch her with fascination.

Interestingly, Maria didn't quite fit the mold of Kelvin's usual preferences; he generally favored curvier women. Yet, on that day, something unexplainable had drawn him to her, setting the stage for a journey that would lead to love, unforeseen challenges, and ultimately heartache.

Kelvin didn't say much to her when he first visited the cafe, just his order and a big tip. But he kept coming back just to see her. He admired how she handled the customers – she was confident, and her smile always brightened his day.

One day, he decided to ask one of her coworkers about her closing time. The young coworker, who looked like he was in his early twenties, initially didn't want to share any details about her. However, when he noticed the bunch of money in Kelvin's hand, he suddenly became very talkative. He shared more information than Kelvin had asked for, clearly influenced by the money Kelvin was willing to offer.

     Kelvin waited around the area until it was time for her to finish work. He wanted to talk to her. As she was leaving, he called out, "Hey there, you look lovely!" But she just gave him a quick look and kept walking.

"I get it, you don't talk to strangers," Kelvin teased with a smile. Still, there was no response.

"Maria, I just want to chat with you for a minute. Can you slow down?"

Maria replied, "I don't remember telling you my name, Mr. Stranger."

Kelvin smiled, relieved that she had finally spoken. "I'm Kelvin, please call me Kelvin. Can I take you out to dinner?"

For a moment, Maria seemed like she was going to say no, but Kelvin pouted and gave her the puppy-dog eyes. She laughed at his expression and said, "What's so funny, young lady?"

Maria replied, "You! Okay, I have an hour to spare, but please don't make that face or do that thing you just did with your eyes again."

"Oh I see you're scared you're gonna fall in love with me"

She laughed at his remark.

Kelvin asked her to wait, and he went to get his car, which was parked around the corner.

Later, he would come to see her after work, so he could give her a ride home. They dated for some time before he decided to ask her to marry him. Kelvin knew Maria had her imperfections, but who doesn't? He continued to support and encourage her. When they got married, he told her he  didn't want his wife working at a low-paying cafe anymore, even though she wasn't waiting tables anymore. Maria had been promoted to be the manager of the place, and the paycheck was more than she could have ever imagined.  She often teased him that he could buy the whole of New York City with the way he was going. At that time, he was earning just enough to cover the bills.

Things changed significantly for Kelvin's wife, Maria. She bought the business she managed and even opened more branches, just as her husband had predicted. She now owned a chain of restaurants. But it was during this period that trouble began brewing in their relationship. Maria started treating Kelvin with disdain, putting him down whenever she had the chance, even in front of their domestic staff, who, as she reminded Kelvin, were paid by her.

Their intimacy dwindled to almost nothing; they even had a timetable for when they were intimate. When Kelvin lost his job three months ago, Maria's behavior took a drastic turn. It was as if she had transformed into a monster, ready to pounce at any moment. She called him weak and impotent, berating him for not being able to hold a job. Kelvin, though, remained unusually patient with her, for she was just a piece on the chessboard he was playing.

Kelvin recollected how he had orchestrated Maria's ascent to wealth and prominence – from purchasing the cafe she worked at to promoting her and paying her much more than she deserved. If only she knew who he truly was.

What Maria didn't know was that Kelvin, which wasn't his real name, was the heir to one of the most influential Mafia families in Paris. Money was never a problem for him; in fact, it was the least of his worries. He remembered the unfortunate incident that forced him to leave everything behind and seek refuge in New York. During one of their operations, his men had a shootout, something not uncommon, but this time, they accidentally shot the daughter of a high-profile commissioner, and she didn't survive. A costly mistake, as the police closed in on them. His father had no choice but to protect his son, arranging for him to leave Paris. And thus, Kelvin was born, adopting a low-profile life and avoiding trouble until the dust settled, which took years.

For the five years he had been in New York, Kelvin's father ensured he had secret security watching over him at all times. They provided for his basic needs, just enough to maintain a comfortable life without raising any suspicion. When he married Maria, he made her a wealthy woman. He eliminated all potential competitors for her business and ensured that everything ran smoothly. He was a man of principles, and he loved to win every game.

Kelvin was satisfied that things had unfolded as he planned. He smiled, knowing that the real game was about to begin. It was time for Alexander Kuznetsov to return.

 His mind returned to the papers in his hands, he climbed upstairs, got a pen and signed the papers. She was good riddance to bad rubbish.